Veronica plant named ‘Dovercanpur’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Dovercanpur’, characterized by its relatively compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit on first year&#39;s growth; dense inflorescences with numerous dark violet-colored flowers; and good performance as a container and garden plant.

Botanical designation: Veronica hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOVERCANPUR’.

PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Nov. 4, 2022, application number 2022/2478. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant, botanically known as Veronica hybrida, typically grown as a container or garden plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dovercanpur’.

The new Veronica plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Veronica plants with attractive flowers arranged on long inflorescences and good container and garden performance.

The new Veronica plant originated from an open-pollination in April, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Veronica hybrida identified as code number VE15-000002-010, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Veronica hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Veronica plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in June, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica plant by terminal stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, since June, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Veronica plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Veronica have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dovercanpur’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dovercanpur’ as a new and distinct Veronica plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit on first year's growth.     -   5. Dense inflorescences with numerous dark violet-colored         flowers.     -   6. Good performance as a container and garden plant.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Veronica have darker violet-colored flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of Veronica longifolia ‘Alllove’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,478. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of ‘Alllove’ in flower color as plants of the new Veronica have dark violet-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Alllove’ have red purple-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Veronica are more compact than plants of ‘Alllove’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the Veronica plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Veronica plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dovercanpur’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) comprises close-up views of a typical inflorescence and the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Dovercanpur’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 17-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Veronica production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21C and night temperatures averaged 15C. Plants were 16 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida ‘Dovercanpur’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica             hybrida identified as code number VE15-000002-010, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Veronica hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 26C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at             temperatures about 23C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 23C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days             at temperatures about 18C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact and upright plant             habit with long and dense inflorescences; overall plant             shape, oblong to narrowly oblong; moderately vigorous growth             habit and slow growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 20             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 27             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 27 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely basal             branching habit with about eight primary stems per plant             each with up to two secondary branches; pinching is not             required, but will enhance lateral branching potential.             Length (excluding inflorescence): About 19 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Erect to about 30 degrees from vertical. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, developing and             developed: Close to 143C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, single.         -   Length.—About 4.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate with shallow and divergent indentations.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate and reticulate.         -   Color.—When developing, upper surface: Close to 137B. When             developing, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to             N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D;             venation, close to 137A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers             arranged on dense terminal racemes; flowers face mostly             outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 40             flowers per inflorescence and about 1,400 flowers developing             per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; plants             flower continuously from June to August in The Netherlands;             plants begin flowering about ten weeks after planting;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to N88B.         -   Inflorescence height (length).—About 11 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm by 9 mm.         -   Flower length.—About 5 mm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2 mm.         -   Tube diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl;             petals fused proximally. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About             5 mm. Shape: Rhomboid; concave. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire;             not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, throat and             tube: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to N88B. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to N88A; venation, close to N88A;             color does not change with subsequent development. Throat             and tube: Close to N88A; venation, close to N88A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four arranged in a single             whorl and fused at the base. Length: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect:             Primary peduncles, upright; secondary peduncles, about 30             degrees from main peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:             Close to 137A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 30 degrees from peduncle axis.             Strength: Relatively weak. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 137D.         -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 0.1 mm.             Shape: Acicular. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.             Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to N88C.             Anther shape: Roughly round. Anther size: About 1 mm by             1 mm. Anther color: Close to N89A. Pollen amount: Abundant.             Pollen color: Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma diameter: Less than             1 mm. Stigma shape: Capitate. Stigma color: Close to N79A.             Style length: About 7 mm. Style color: Close to N88A. Ovary             color: Close to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has             not been observed on plants of the new Veronica. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Veronica have     not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Veronica plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Veronica have exhibited good     garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind, temperatures     ranging from about −35C to about 30C and to be suitable for USDA     Hardiness Zones 4 through 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Veronica plant named ‘Dovercanpur’ as illustrated and described. 